Confronted with evidence that Singaspore will fail to achieve its goal of a smokeless society by 2000 and more Singaporeans are smoking than five years ago, the government says it will seek to ban cigarette sales to people under the age of 18.
And if that doesn't work, one lawmaker has suggested banning smoking for persons under 21.Dr Chen Ai Ju, the deputy director of medical services at the ministry of health, said Wednesday the government would present to the next session of parliament a bill banning cigarette sales to anyone under the age of 18.
Not to be outdone, Loh Meng See, chairman of a parliamentary committee on health has raised the possibility of extending the ban to anyone under the age of 21.
"Usually, if a person doesn't start smoking by 21, he isn't likely to pick up the habit," he said.
Loh also suggested that smoking might be banned in discos and nightspots popular among young people.
According to the latest health ministry statistics, almost 16 percent of Singaporeans smoke, compared to just over 13 percent in 1987.
The figure is below the average for industrialized countries, but the ministry found that tobacco use has rocketed in popularity among teenage males, which means the trend toward smoking is long term.
The findings have baffled health officials who think their country has draconian anti-smoking legislation.